My family has been with Ashbrook for 9 years now and it has been one of the best decisions we have…read moremade for our family. Not only do the teachers challenge my children, but they have nurtured them as well. They have fostered their curiosities and are willing to see how far they can go. My children are above grade level for math and science, and Ashbrook not only provided the opportunities for them to move up but the teachers actually reached out to us to ask if they could move up. The teachers and staff have become our partners and the families our little community. My kids not only enjoy the core subjects, but also love the arts program where they get to participate in art, drama, Pe, music, and foreign language on a regular basis. Additionally, communication and partnership with the school administration has been great. When communicating with them, we hear back within a day or two, and any questions or concerns are heard and addressed. They try to be as transparent as possible and communicate with families on a weekly basis. They also welcome feedback and have multiple opportunities for us to talk to them. We highly recommend Ashbrook for any family who wants a challenging and nurturing environment for their kids. We will certainly miss Ashbrook when our children graduate. Our children love this school dearly and as parents, we do, too.

It's okay. Curriculum is good, but not all teachers are very nice. Most teachers are great! But the…read morerules are not enforced equally throughout the students. Males are usually treated with more lax standards along with shorter, less developed girls. Some people are very quick to make assumptions about students based on overall airs. I was on financial support, but tuition is pretty expensive. Not many students. Some of the students that grew up in a wealthy loving family can be very inconsiderate with words. Dress code is strict. Dress code enforcer has tried to tell me where MY mid thigh was. Also the dress code does not provide much room for religious wear. Hijabs and headwear are allowed, but certain holidays might include certain attire. It can be a challenging place for students with Social Anxiety on multiple different fronts. There is no special needs program to my knowledge. I personally think that this school is a bit too sensitive, but that comes from a middle class public school person until I got here recently. The school is pretty academically supportive to those who don't require help, but it skips a year of material. I was scared to say this till now but it was also pretty terrifying the whole time. And exhausting. Mental health is taken care of by most of the teachers that are trying to get their own job done. Kids have said slurs, done VERY inappropriate things and made noises to others, and it's never taken care of. It always kept happening. Bullying was not addressed. Most people are obsessed with putting labels on you. And people wouldn't listen to me. It was actually pretty deteriorating. And I had already went into this school with crippling depression. My only friends at the school were much more support than the mental health support system or whatever thing they had set up at the time. And nobody knows boundaries. I'm sorry. I hope its changed now.

Corvallis Waldorf School (CWS) has been an incredible place for our family. As a parent of two…read morechildren attending the school, I have consistently felt inspired and, in a sense, healed each time I experience the warmth and uniqueness of the community at assemblies or school events. I sometimes refer to the Waldorf approach as a "healing curriculum," because it deeply aligns with how we parent at home and enriches my children's lives immensely. What originally drew me to CWS was its balanced, holistic approach to education and the relationships that they build with their teachers - importantly, that their main lesson teacher takes them through all the grades- 1 through 8. The Waldorf curriculum avoids the use of individual iPads and screen-based learning. Instead, it focuses on the arts, nature, and hands-on activities. Beginning in grade 4, students learn to play a string instrument and receive instruction three days a week during regular school hours. Physical education and outdoor play are core to their daily routine--children spend substantial time outside regardless of the weather. Influenced by Natalie Wexler's book, "The Knowledge Gap," I deeply value the knowledge-rich education my children are receiving at CWS, that builds knowledge year after year. For example, students explore ancient civilizations and Greek mythology in grade 5, delve into Roman history through the Middle Ages in grade 6, study the Renaissance in grade 7, and progress to modern history in grade 8. Math instruction is engaging and tangible in the early grades, and students receive support whether they need extra assistance or advanced enrichment. My children have also developed remarkable writing skills, producing beautiful, creative work in cursive. The practical skills my kids are gaining through handwork (knitting, sewing, crocheting) and woodworking are not only joyful, but practical too - that knowing that you can complete a project that takes months as well as the hand eye gymnastics is great for the brain. Socially, the teachers foster a nurturing environment where children feel supported discussing and resolving interpersonal conflicts, guided by caring adults. For example, some teachers host "teatime" to create a warm circled-up pause-i-the-day for children to reflect and openly discuss ways to improve social dynamics. The joy I've observed in my kids since enrolling here reaffirms our decision every day. I highly recommend Corvallis Waldorf School to families seeking an intentional, joyful, and holistic educational experience. The only downside is that there isn't a high school program!

We know that while at school our daughter is being nurtured by the best possible teachers who hold…read morespace for exactly who she is. The school is helping create a beautiful, magical childhood for our girl and we are so thankful. The community is a bonus! If you are considering the school, ask for a tour.

We've had a mostly (nobody' perfect) great experience at this school too. 2 of my kids…read moretransitioned here after an overwhelmingly negative experience at Corvallis Waldorf School. It took time for them to shake off the damage that had been done there, but they were warmly embraced by Philomath Elementary and we received wonderful support from the teachers, principal, and counselor there. It isn't easy for a school to clean up the damage done by another, but they really did that, here. My kids all started loving to learn. They felt safe and secure for the first time (still working on forgiving myself for thinking my 10s of 1000s of dollars were paying for my kids to be misguided and mistreated at a private school). Philomath Elementary feels like a private school because of the small ratio of teachers to students. It is a creative and positive environment. I'm still kicking myself for thinking they would be better off in a more "spiritual" private setting. My kids are happy. They've developed great friendships. Their social skills have been revived (they were so oppressed at CWS). And they are LEARNING. One of my kids is severely dyslexic and has auditory processing disorder. He is receiving so much more support from this school and the district than he did at the previous school. Each of his teachers has implemented a special program for him and he is totally on track now (and happy).